Earthship Update.

Earthship Philippines

Our crew, joined by a team of local, international volunteers has built what is called the “Windship” Earthship design in the Philippines in response to typhoon Haiyan. The Windship has evolved from the Simple Survival Earthship design and functions to serve as an aerodynamic storm shelter and school building for a community outside of Tacloban on Leyte Island. The building has already been used as a shelter for the most recent typhoon Hagiput, which hit last month and fortunately left little damage to the area.

In February 2015, our crew will be returning to the Philippines in order to complete the structure’s finishes and to install the power and water systems. We will be simultaneously building a "zero­-cost hut" in the community, made solely from salvaged, local and recycled materials. This hut will serve as an example of low cost, resilient and sustainable building that will relate to and hopefully be carried out by the community members in future rebuilding efforts. Our efforts are being coordinated with two organizations on the ground, the Earth Village Project and One Block for Batug, who are helping our work with the local community.

We are raising money for this project through general donations as well as student sign ups. Currently, we are looking for registrants for the finish hit of this project. The registered students will train alongside a professional crew and will be involved in the education of the local volunteers. All contributions go entirely into the job itself and are needed in order make this project a success.

At this point in time, we are looking for donations as well as sponsorships to help fund the tools and materials needed as well as all of the other logistical costs to making such an experience come to fruition.

As we are nearing our start date for the project, we are hoping to raise our proposed budget to ensure that all facets of this building will be finished and functioning to its expected capacity. Sign up today and make sure you don't miss out on this incredible experience!

Patagonia Earthship Academy Global Session

We are pleased to present our third Earthship Academy Global Session. The Earthship Academy offers extensive training in Earthship design principles, construction methods and philosophy. The Earthship Academy has trained over 500 students from around the world. The Academy offers education for those who are excited to learn and expand the Earthship concept globally.

We will teach hands-on building techniques and Earthship design and systems classes while constructing a 3 U Earthship based on the Simple Survival design.

“Patagonia is a magical region at the southernmost tip of South America which stretches across both Argentina and Chile. El Bolsón is a small town with a population of approximately 15,000 people. El Bolsón is located in a beautiful, fertile valley nestled at the foot of the Andes mountains, which has long been a center for alternative environmental lifestyles, organic agriculture and ecotourism.

The Patagonian Earthship will be an eco accommodation and home to a warm, welcoming travelers' community. Through simply living in a permaculture paradise, sharing meals and working together, people from all over the world will be able to partake in this life changing experience: the building of a travelers' community, committed to sustainability and communal values, under the roof of a living Earthship.” - Taryn and Marcelo, local hosts and owners of the Earthship project

Michael Reynolds will teach in the field and in the classroom along with 10 Earthship Academy instructors from Taos. Classes will be taught in English and Spanish. This session counts towards one of the three requirements for graduation from the Earthship Academy.

There will be free camping available near the site. A list of suggested accommodations will be provide for those students who do not wish to camp. Students are responsible for their own transportation and food.

Tuition for the course is $2000 USD. We request a $500 deposit to secure your place in the program with the balance of tuition due before February 15, 2015.

History and Evolution of the Earthship ConceptThermal/Solar Heating and CoolingBuilding with Natural and Recycled MaterialsWater Harvesting, Storage and FiltrationContained Sewage Treatment Basics of ElectricitySolar and Wind Electric Systems in EarthshipsFood Production in EarthshipsHow to Read Earthship Construction DrawingsProject Planning and StagingSustainable Retrofit for Conventional HomesThe Owner/Builder Earthship ExperienceEarthship Finishing Options and TechniquesEarthship Village Ecologies,Test Sites and ColoniesDisaster Relief and Humanitarian Projects